ANAHEIM, Calif. — Nathan MacKinnon has cemented himself as the top player in the NHL when it comes to even-strength play, standing head and shoulders above the competition. Although Connor McDavid has long been regarded as the league’s best player overall, MacKinnon surpasses all others in even-strength performance, a fact that holds true whether considering this season or the past few years.
MacKinnon reached two remarkable milestones during Colorado’s commanding 5-1 victory in Anaheim on Tuesday night. Most notably, when he assisted captain Gabe Landeskog for a puck that effectively sealed the game early in the third period, MacKinnon recorded his 100th point of the season. Achieving this feat in just his 59th game, he set a new franchise record for the fastest 100-point season. This marks the fourth consecutive season that MacKinnon has reached the 100-point plateau.
Statistical Evidence Reflects MacKinnon’s Dominance
Currently, MacKinnon ranks second in total points this season behind Connor McDavid and remains a contender for both the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top scorer and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, awarded to the player with the most goals. However, the race for the Hart Trophy, which recognizes the league’s most valuable player, appears more uncertain with strong competition from McDavid, San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini, and others.
What separates MacKinnon lies in his exceptional impact during even-strength situations. His influence on the ice during these moments was underscored as Landeskog’s goal marked the 100th even-strength goal scored by the Avalanche while MacKinnon was on the ice this season. Colorado boasts a staggering plus-63 goal differential at even strength with MacKinnon, meaning they’ve outscored opponents 100-37 when he is playing.
Behind MacKinnon, other top contributors include defenseman Cale Makar with 85 even-strength goals and forward Martin Necas at 82. Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov follows with 81. Few others in the league come close to these numbers, underscoring MacKinnon’s extraordinary role in Colorado’s scoring dominance.
Comparison to Other Elite Players Highlights the Gap
The plus-63 goal differential MacKinnon holds at even strength exceeds Tampa Bay’s leading candidate Nikita Kucherov, who sits at plus-34, and dwarfs the numbers posted by McDavid, who is plus-10 (78-68) and Celebrini’s plus-15 (72-57). Only three NHL players outside Colorado have goal differentials of plus-30 or greater: Tampa Bay’s Kucherov and J.J. Moser (plus-39), and Utah’s John Marino (plus-32).
Colorado itself features a remarkable depth in this metric, with six Avalanche players posting a plus-30 or higher goal differential at even strength, and two others at plus-29. MacKinnon is the cornerstone of this unprecedented even-strength success.
Historical Context Underlines MacKinnon’s Unique Feat
The NHL’s use of advanced statistics, which began tracking detailed shot attempt data from 2007 onward, shows that no player had ever been on the ice for 100 or more even-strength goals in a single season until MacKinnon entered the record books. Since scoring rates have increased in recent years, he is the 36th player to reach this milestone starting from the 2017-18 season, yet none have come close to the volume and dominance he has displayed this year, with 22 games still remaining.
Two years ago, MacKinnon already set the benchmark for even-strength dominance over the last two decades. Colorado outscored opponents 122-82 while he was on the ice. This season, the Avalanche are on pace to tally 137 even-strength goals with No. 29 playing.
The defensive side of this achievement amplifies its significance. Johnny Gaudreau, for example, holds the best goal differential for any player present on the ice for at least 100 even-strength goals during this era. His Calgary Flames outscored teams 118-52 in 2021-22, a plus-62 margin.
Maintaining a neutral goal differential over the remaining 22 games this season would allow MacKinnon to surpass Gaudreau’s record. It is highly likely that MacKinnon’s final figure will reach the 70s or even 80s, a level of dominance unseen in the NHL since the early to mid-1980s.
MacKinnon’s Even-Strength Excellence Sustains MVP Consideration
This overwhelming dominance at even strength is what keeps MacKinnon in the Hart Trophy conversation despite the Avalanche’s struggles on the power play. If Colorado’s effectiveness with the man advantage approached league average, MacKinnon’s point total would display a 10-12 point increase, and the Avalanche’s win column would rise by 3-4 games, effectively removing doubts about his MVP candidacy.
Beyond this season, MacKinnon’s performance at even strength has been consistently exceptional. Since the start of the 2023-24 campaign, Colorado has outscored their rivals 322-187 at even strength with MacKinnon on the ice, a plus-135 goal differential. Second on this list is Cale Makar with plus-87, followed by Tampa Bay’s Kucherov at plus-83.
Elite stars such as McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each hold plus-minus figures in the 70s, while Quinn Hughes and Auston Matthews both exceed plus-50. Put simply, MacKinnon’s presence results in a team performance approximately 39 percent better than any other NHL team’s results with any player on the ice at even strength over the past three seasons.
The Vastness of MacKinnon’s Even-Strength Advantage
While the margins differentiating NHL superstars are often razor-thin, the difference between MacKinnon and every other player when it comes to even-strength impact is substantial and unmistakable. This gulf illustrates just how integral MacKinnon’s game is to the Avalanche’s success and underscores the unique nature of his contributions in 5-on-5 play.
